Autumn Nations Series: Ireland 46 Australia 19
Exactly what was promised and hoped for. True to their word, Ireland’s attack delivered, bookending the game with three tries in the first 28 minutes and three more in the last 10, and in the process not only record a fifth successive win over Australia, but by a record margin in the fixture. Ireland looked a very good team again. Now bring on the Boks.
With that in mind, perhaps the biggest blemish on the night was the way Australia stayed in the game with two tries from route one power plays, but otherwise they were hardly let play by an aggressive Irish defence.
Not surprisingly, the lineout woes were rectified and the selection, not least of Sam Prendergast and Mack Hansen, was vindicated, as Ireland dominated the aerial contest. With Paddy McCarthy making an impressive full debut in a rock-solid scrum, Ireland also smashed the breakdown, ,with James Ryan leading the way, generated quick ball and used it inventively.
But for Hansen’s heroics, the colossal Caelan Doris would have won yet another man of the match gong. Hansen scored a hat-trick in that first 28 minutes with run-ins that were set up sweetly, while his presence as an auxiliary playmaker, as well as the brilliant Jamison Gibson-Park pulling, probing and kicking as he does, probably helped the younger Prendergast settle into the game. Some of his passing and kicking were sublime, while Jack Crowley off the bench also contributed handsomely in continuing the second-half improvement against Japan.
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Ireland demonstrated their intent from the off, helped by Hansen taking Jake Gordon’s box kick above his head in a manner that suggested he had played some Aussie Rules in his formative years.
They quickly had the Aussie defence guessing and stretched, probing the blindside well before Prendergast kick-passed to Tommy O’Brien, who had Dan Sheehan in support before Stuart McCloskey hit James Lowe on the left edge. But Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s counter-ruck forced a turnover.
Suaalii then made a good read on Lowe coming off his wing to snuff out a launch play off a lineout, which settled into its groove, and Prendergast then earned a turnover with a big hit on James O’Connor.
After Prendergast’s penalty earned a close-range foothold, Gibson-Park tapped a penalty to link up with Lowe but when a try seemed on he was held up short. Jack Conan’s pass hit the ground but Prendergast deftly picked up and McCloskey’s swift transfer gave Hansen his run-in between the posts in the sixth minute.
His second followed within five minutes as Prendergast’s long quick penalty forced a fumble from Max Jorgensen. McCloskey earned go-forward ball off the five-metre scrum and Robbie Henshaw took Gibson-Park’s flat skip pass on the gainline to pull the ball back for Prendergast to put Hansen over again.
But the Wallabies’ response to this fast Irish start dispelled any notions of a romp. Gordon sniped off a lineout and big carries by Rob Valetini and Fraser McReight featured in a 20-phase power play before Len Ikitau barrelled over.
When the unlucky McCloskey was forced off, a huge roar greeted Bundee Aki – probably Ireland’s most popular player. Lowe and Sheehan had earned a five-metre scrum from Prendergast’s clever grubber to drive Jorgensen over the line and Aki pulled the ball back for Prendergast to hit O’Brien.
Again, and the winger left the ball on the deck for Hansen to pick up and dive over for his hat-trick.
But Prendergast missed the conversion and a wave of defensive penalties by Ireland kept Australia in the ascendancy for the remainder of the half. Ryan Baird nicked a couple of throws inside and outside the 22, before the Aussie forwards, with the help of Ikitau and Suaalii, hammered through multiple phases again for McReight to plunge over with another penalty advantage.
This left it 19-14 at the break as the rain relented but despite the entertainment value a somewhat disengaged Saturday night crowd were only enlivened when Sweet Caroline was played on the sound system.
It needed Doris winning a jackal when immovable over the ball after Gibson-Park cut down Suaalii to give Ireland some post-interval momentum, whereupon he reverted to number eight as Nick Timoney replaced Conan and Andrew Porter came on for McCarthy.
Ireland went to the corner and both Aki and Lowe lent their weight to the catch-and-drive before Sheehan drove for the line only to be brilliantly held up by Harry Potter.
Prendergast glided into the clear and linked with Gibson-Park on his inside only for Porter to slightly over-run Tadhg Beirne’s pass and knock-on. Prendergast then opted to step back into the pocket and make it a two-score lead with a drop goal.
Alas, his gorgeously weighted cross kick to put O’Brien over was ruled out on review for Porter’s slight nudge after Jorgensen spilled an up-and-under by Prendergast. That was his last act before Crowley’s first duty was to tap over a penalty from the ensuing scrum.
Ireland finally delivered the decisive blow after Hansen brilliantly reclaimed a Crowley bomb and after Lowe kept the attack alive on the left touchline before the home side went route one and Doris ploughed through the tackles of Potter and O’Connor to score.
A close-range, blindside finish by Billy Pollard was scant consolation for the Wallabies and was taken as an affront by Ireland.
Joe Schmidt had noted that Aki “still packs a punch” and to prove it the Connacht centre powered deep into the Aussie midfield and Baird timed his run on to Craig Casey’s pass off the recycle to score.
Then another almost exhibitionist attack saw Crowley cross kick to Rónan Kelleher, who dummied and carried hard, before Gibson-Park, who replaced Hansen for the last 10 minutes and alternated between wing, fullback and scrumhalf, swept behind the attack to crosskick perfectly for Robbie Henshaw to finish.
With the world’s best side due here next Saturday, to finish with such a flourish was helpful.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 mins: Hansen try, Prendergast con, 7-0; 11: Hansen try, Prendergast con, 14-0; 18: Ikitau try, O’Connor con, 14-7; 28: Hansen try, 19-7; 40: McReight try, O’Connor con, 19-14. Half-time: 19-14; 56: Prendergast drop goal, 22-14; 62: Crowley pen, 25-14; 70: Doris try, Crowley con, 32-14; 74: Pollard try, 32-19; 78: Baird try, Crowley con, 29-19; 80: Henshaw try, Crowley con, 46-19.
IRELAND: Mack Hansen (Connacht); Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), James Lowe (Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster); James Ryan (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Ryan Baird (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Jack Conan (Leinster).
Replacements: Bundee Aki (Connacht) for McCloskey (28 mins); Andrew Porter (Leinster) for McCarthy, Nick Timoney (Ulster) for Conan (both 48 mins); Rónan Kelleher (Leinster) for Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson (Leinster) for Furlong, Cian Prendergast (Connacht) for Ryan (all 56 mins); Jack Crowley (Munster) for S Prendergast (61); Craig Casey (Munster) for Hansen (70); Furlong for Clarkson (71).
AUSTRALIA: Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs); Filipo Daugunu (Queensland Reds), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (NSW Waratahs), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Harry Potter (Western Force); James O’Connor (Leicester), Jake Gordon (NSW Waratahs); Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds), Allan Alaalatoa (ACT Breumbies); Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Tom Hooper (Exeter Chiefs); Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds, capt).
Replacements: Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies) for Faessler, Tom Robertson (Western Force) for Bell (both 53 mins); Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies) for Williams (54); Andrew Kellaway (NSW Waratahs) for Daugunu (58); Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds) for Alaalatoa (60); Carlo Tizzano (Western Force) for Valentini (62); Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies) for Gordon, Tane Edmed (NSW Waratahs) for O’Connor (both 70).
Yellow card: Frost (71 mins).
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).
